Shotgun Wedding?

What's the hurry? Why, as reported in Linda Thomas' blog in the PI site, did the School Board change its travel plans to visit Philadelphia and Charleston a week earlier? And why, are they now saying they will make a decision about who to offer the job to by tomorrow or Friday, just about a week after the community first got a chance to hear from the two candidates?

In reports in the Charleston media, we learn:
Cheryl Chow said: "The visit of both candidates last week, got us pumped up. We're just very excited about the quality of candidates and we didn't want to sit around and twiddle our thumps. We wanted to get out here and meet the community and find out what's going on at each of the sites." Charleston, SC - News - Seattle School Board Site Visit

"Chow said it was clear after both candidates visited Seattle last week that the district had two top candidates, and the board didn't want to lose either before completing the interview process. She canceled her spring break plans so the trip could take place sooner, she said...Chow said she didn't expect to uncover any information she didn't already know about Goodloe-Johnson but instead wanted to validate what she'd learned about her thus far, she said. Goodloe-Johnson's resume came alive during the course of the day, Chow said. The passion of her staff in their support for her and desire not to lose her was clear, she said...She also did well when interacting with the community and press in Seattle, Chow said. "It was great watching them in awe of her education knowledge," she said.

The Seattle board will meet Thursday so Chow and DeBell can brief them on their trip and review feedback from the community. It plans to make an offer to someone on Thursday or Friday, she said...On Monday, the Charleston County School Board voted to extend Goodloe-Johnson's contract to September 2009 if she doesn't get or take the Seattle job. A pay raise was not part of the offer." The Post and Courier, Charleston SC Charleston.net Stories


The first quote, from WCBD TV in Charleston makes me laugh. When my kids get excited about an upcoming trip, no amount of pleading or jumping up and down makes me move the trip a week earlier. I just don't buy Cheryl Chow's explanation for a minute. Changing the School Board's visit to the two cities must have been a logistical headache, involving rescheduling meetings (I hope) with busy, district and city leaders. Not to mention the cost involved with changing plane tickets, hotel reservations, etc. and the impact on the personal and professional lives of the School Board members traveling. No, the change in visit schedule wasn't just because they were so "pumped up" about the quality of the candidates.

So what is the real reason? The second quote gives us some idea: "the board didn't want to lose either before completing the interview process." Is Dr. Goodloe-Johnson getting pressure from her Board to make a decision about her contract extension? It doesn't sound like it. But perhaps she is putting pressure on the Seattle School Board to decide, using her contract extension offer from Charleston as leverage. Or, perhaps, one or both candidates are being considered as candidates in other superintendent search processes (Dr. Thornton in Oakland, maybe?) which is putting pressure on the School Board to make a decision.

At the end of the community interviews of Dr. Goodloe-Johnson and Dr. Thornton last Thursday and Friday, Seattle School Board President Cheryl Chow made a big deal out of soliciting feedback from the community: the people in the room, the people watching on television, and the people those people would tell about the interviews. She said there was plenty of time to provide feedback since the decision wouldn't be made until the 3rd week of April. Why the change in story now? And what message does that send about the importance of community feedback in the process. Does anyone believe that the survey data has even been tabulated yet? I guess this makes clear how important the community input is in the School Board's decision.

Does the School Board just want to hurry up and make a decision so they can be done with this process before public sentiment builds against both candidates? Because, after doing research and reading, I believe that given the choice of:

A) Dr. Goodloe-Johnson; and

B) Dr. Thornton;

the best answer is

C) None of the above.

Comments

I have to wonder about the urgency of this as well. Why not wait a week and review feedback, talk to other leaders in the city and the district and, hey, even ponder the options. Set aside time to think. That's a luxury that many of us don't grant ourselves but for this decision, it would be a good idea. I'm dismayed about this hurry-up and I have to wonder if the entire Board is going to go along with it.
Anonymous said…
I remain confident that a good leader can be chosen from these two candidates.

Dr. Goodloe-Johnson worked with Carla Santorno in Boulder, CO, and I have to believe that the Board has sought her feedback. Because of the decisive leadership of both of these women, I would learn toward this option and anticipate some rapid changes (a la Stanford).

Dr. Thornton has presented himself well in community meetings and seems engaging. He has the urban CAO experience and managed grant funding and I believe he could do well in Seattle as well.

As urban school districts across the country have found - the pool of qualified Superintendent candidates is shallow and shrinking. I believe the Board is accurate in stating that the best two candidates were chosen.

Moving forward with Seattle's Super choice quickly allows us to start making some long overdue changes. Our history of maintaining interim Superintendents has not been positive and the central office staff and the district as a whole need leadership for some rapid changes and realignment of goals.

I look forward to the Boards announcement and am ready to support and work with a new leader to improve Seattle schools.

Tammie
Beth Bakeman said…
I appreciate hearing your opinion, Tammie.

Linda Thomas, on the PI blog, has set up a non-scientific public poll on the issue, and so far (8:30 am today), Dr. Thornton is just edging out "None of the above."

Want to vote? Linda Thomas blog
Beth Bakeman said…
It's making more sense today. The Philadelphia superintendent's resignation sure could be pushing the Seattle School Board to make the hiring decision.

Vallas to leave city schools post
Beth Bakeman said…
Here's a working link to the Philadelphia Inquirer article:

Vallas to leave city schools post

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